Seven held over fake rental scam run from Thailand

Police in Malaga have broken up a rental fraud network that allegedly ran fake lettings from Thailand, with seven people arrested and three others under investigation.

The National Police said the group used tourist flats for short periods and then offered them as long-term homes, taking deposits and reservation payments from would-be tenants before disappearing.

Investigators estimate the scam caused losses of at least €150,000, although they believe the figure could rise as more victims come forward. Around 20 complaints have already been filed in Malaga city.

How the alleged scam worked

According to police, the suspected organiser stayed in Thailand and was responsible for posting adverts, making initial contact with interested tenants and arranging appointments through messaging apps. Officers say he never came to the Costa del Sol.

The investigation found that the group searched for holiday homes on rental websites and social media groups, then rented them for just one day. They would then present the same properties as available for long-term lets and ask for advance payments by Bizum or bank transfer.

Police said the same flat was sometimes shown to several different people, sometimes on the same day, which helped the network collect multiple deposits for the same property.

Money trail and arrests

The National Police said the organisation had a clear structure. One person in Spain handled the day-to-day operation on the Costa del Sol, collected the money and passed it into accounts in Benalmádena. Another suspect allegedly converted cash into cryptoassets to move the proceeds more quickly.

At the lower end of the group, two suspects were said to show the flats as if they were their own and to collect the deposits and reservation fees. Police also identified other collaborators who dealt with practical tasks and cash collection.

Officers said they carried out several operations to catch suspects and prevent further frauds. They also used undercover approaches, posing as clients, to check the alleged scam first-hand.

In total, seven people have been arrested and three others are being investigated on suspicion of belonging to a criminal organisation, fraud and money laundering.

Police believe more victims may yet emerge because of the number of times the same property was shown to different people. The case remains under investigation.

Local reporting on the probe has also pointed to the same broad pattern of alleged fraud in Malaga, while officers continue to examine the financial trail.

Sources: Spanish police account reported by ABC, with additional confirmation from other local reports.